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Summary

The barrow recorded in 1980 as a roughly circular mound 8.0 metres in diameter and 0.5 metres high proved on excavation to be a slight rise formed by subsoil layers overlain by topsoil. Three pits below the mound were found to contain charcoal, none of which had been burnt in situ. That from pit 680 provided a calibrated radiocarbon date of 2019-1769BC. The mound was not visible on aerial photographs or lidar derived images.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Prehistoric barrow north east of Smallhanger

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX55NE/25

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• BARROW (Bronze Age - 2200 BC to 701 BC)

Full description

RCHM APP 1985, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV169348.

Not visible on raf 1946 ap (rchm app 1985).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV169349.

Des=worksheet.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV169350.

Des=photo by t. Greeves(26/11/1980)in parish file.

Taylor, D., 1993, Prestonbury Castle (Worksheet). SDV1142.

Vis=3/3/1980 (greeves,t. Dcc). Roughly circular barrow approximately 8.0m diameter and 0.5m high on sw end of headon down (worksheet).

Exeter Archaeology, 2007, Archaeological Evaluation of Land at South Tip, Headon China Clay Works, Lee Moor, Sparkwell, 1, Fig. 2 (Report - Evaluation). SDV344610.

Dyer, M. + Quinnell, H., 2013, Excavation of a Group of Early Bronze Age Monuments on Headon Down, Sparkwell, 68-72, 73-78 (Article in Serial). SDV357032.

A barrow recorded in 1980 as a roughly circular mound, 8.0 metres diameter and 0.5 metres high was excavated in 2009 in advance of the expansion of Headon South Tip.
The humic topsoil was found to overlay a stone leached subsoil with unaltered subsoil below which together formed a slight rise. Several features were exposed cut into the unaltered subsoil. Feature 678 was an irregular oval depression, 0.7 metres by 0.45 metres by 0.2 metres deep filled with a black clayey silt containing a small amount of charred roots or stems. It may have been natural.
Pit 667 was roughly circular, 0.5-0.6 metres diameter and 0.3 metres deep with a well-defined edge and base. It had two fills, a clayey silt with many small stones overlain by a peaty silt with charcoal and charred root fragments and some stones. Pit 680 was smaller, 0.3 metres diameter and 0.07 metres deep filled with peaty silt with some small stones and a high concentration of oak charcoal and charred stems or roots. Pit 682 was very shallow, 0.7 metres by 0.4 metres and 0.1 metres deep. Its single fill of silty clay also contained occasional small stones and charred root or stem fragments. None of the charcoal from these features had been burnt in situ. That from pit 680 provided a calibrated radiocarbon date of 2019-1769BC. The high concentration of charcoal implies the deliberate deposition of burnt material associated by ritual or funerary activity.
The presence of charcoal-filled pits usually without cremated bone as a focal point beneath barrows/cairns appears to be a feature of Bronze Age ceremonial monuments in Devon and Cornwall.

Hegarty, C., Knight, S. and Sims, R., 2019-2021, The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping Survey. Area 2, Avon Valley to Plymouth (AI&M, formerly NMP) (Interpretation). SDV362982.

The barrow was not identified as an earthwork on any aerial photographic sources or digital images derived from lidar data captured in 2013 consulted by the survey.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV4703 - Archaeological Evaluation of Land at South Tip, Headon China Clay Works, Lee Moor, Sparkwell
• EDV6559 - Excavation of a Group of Early Bronze Age Monuments on Headon Down
• EDV8098 - The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping (formerly NMP) Survey, Area 2, Avon Valley to Plymouth (Ref: ACD2040)

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